Fiscal talk about education – well worth it whether rural, suburban or urban

Last night at South Colonie Schools the 47 school districts that make up the BOCES districts of Capital Region and Questar gathered to conduct a panel discussion on education funding and the continued fiscal crisis that is upon school districts. The event was well attended by parents, students, teachers, administrators and elected officials and clearly demonstrated the concerns all have in regard to a quality education.

The panel was excellent in that we had a mix of urban, suburban and rural districts and the moderator (Susan Arbetter) did a great job keeping the agenda moving and adding some light moments to keep all fresh during the almost two hour event. Due to the financial challenges our economy has faced, it is no secret that education funding has taken a hit. Now to be clear, we spend over $21 billion/year on Education at the state as we should as it is written clearly into our constitution of New York State to do so. The challenge is that due to the numerous requirements of education, the challenges that are in each community setting, and the home settings of each child, the costs continue to climb and still the need is not being met.

Here in the region we do feel that many of the BOCES districts are not funded properly and the stats prove it. Many districts are funded at only 50-70% of what the need is and therefore creates this desperate situation to maintain the basic elements. Complicating the matter is this year’s proposal for statewide universal pre-K, a nice idea and a program that is already in many of the districts I represent. The challenge is that although UPK is necessary, we are not funding K-12 to the level we need to and therefore the dialogue is starting to grow and the lines are being drawn as the budget process unfolds.

Universally, it is clear that we need to reduce Gap Elimination Adjustment (GEA) which is affecting all school districts, and I support that effort. The goal to wipe it out completely is going to be a challenge, as it is over $1.5 billion, but that is the message loud and clear from the education community.

The best part of the evening was at the end of the night. For more than an hour we where able to break off into our own regional areas and meet with our constituents to hear their individual stories. What impressed me is the concern brought forward for those children with special needs as well as those who want to ensure that their child can participate in advanced placement programs. Yes, the concerns run from one of the cycle to the other, but how appropriate for an education system that tries to address the issues of all.